Brake rigging for railway cars



Jan. 23, 1934. c. HANKlNs BRAKE RIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 26, 1931 Patented Jan. 23, 1934 '1,944,509 BRAKE RIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS Cyrus Hankins, Washington, D. C.

Application March 26, 1931V Serial No. 525,532

6 Claims. (Cl. 1813-206) My invention relates to railway cars'and more particularly to improvements in the brake rigging f thereof.

A principal object of the invention is toprovide means for flexibly connecting the dead lever of the brake Vrigging to the underframe of the 'car in such manner that the lever may be free to move angularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the underframe in substantially all directions to compensate for relative movement between the Vunderframe and the car truck;Y

lAnother object of the invention is to pro- ,vide the iiexible connecting means with means for taking up slack in the brake rigging.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing means for flexibly connecting the dead lever to the underframe of the car involving a member connected by a pin to a bracket which is rigid 'with the underframe and a chain for flexibly connecting the dead lever to the member,'the latter being provided with a plurality of pin receiving apertures whereby it may be connected to the bracket in diierent positions of adjustment to take up slack in the brake rigging.

Another feature of theinvention consists in connectingto the' upper end of the dead lever a member provided with a plurality of apertures whereby it may be connected vthereto by a pin in different positions of adjustment, a chain being employed for exibly connecting the member to the car underframe.

A still further feature of the invention con-- sists in-providing means for flexibly connecting the dead lever to the underframe involving a bracket, members respectively connected to the dead lever and bracket, a chain for iiexibly connecting said members and the latter being respectively provided `with a plurality of apertures whereby they may be connected by pins to the bracket and dead lever in different positions of adjustment, the distance between the centers of the apertures in one of said members being greater than the distance between the centers of the apertures in the other of said members.

Other and more specilic features of the invention Vresiding vin advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.`

In the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of a railway car showing my invention applied thereto. l

Figure 2 is a plan. view, partly in section, of a portion of the construction illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the members of the dead lever connector and the link adjacent thereto.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of another of the members of the dead lever connector and the chain link adjacent thereto.

.Figure A5 is an end elevational view of the bracket secured to the car underframe.

Figure 6 `is a side elevational .View of the bracket.

As is well known the conventional brake rigging for railway cars consists of a fluid pressure cylinder rigidly mounted on the underframe of the .car and a system of connected rods or levers for transmitting force from the cylinder to brake beams carrying shoes adapted to vengage the car wheels. The brake beams are pivotally connected to and actuated by brake levers, which, as is known, are inclined at an angleof approximately forty degrees tothe vertical. One oi these brake levers, namely, the one to which thebrake applying iorce .is rst transmitted from the brake cylinder, is commonly termed the live leverwhilethe other brake lever, namely, the one anchored or connected to 'some part ofthe car, is commonly termed the dead lever. As the invention only relates to the means for connectingv the dead lever tothe car only a portion of the brake rigging and adjacent parts of the car have been illustrated. Referring more particularly to the drawing 1 .indicates the dead `lever and 2 a push rodwhich connects the lower end of the dead lever with the live lever (not shown). As is'customary the dead l lever is pivotally connected by a pin 3 to a brake beam 4.

The means for connecting the upper end of the lever tothecar underframe comprises a member 5 carried by thev'underframe, a'member 6 carried by the dead lever and a chain ,7 which exibly the arms `8 are provided with a plurality of pairs of registering apertures` 10, any adapted to receive the pivot pin Y The member 5.0i the dead lever connector is pair of which is vpreferably in the form of an elongated plate and is mounted on a bracket 11 rigidwith the underframe. The bracket may advantageously be formed with a substantially horizontal top flange or plate portion 12 which may be conveniently securedby rivets 13 to the bottom flange 14 of an adjacent center sill member 15v of the car underframe. Y Extending downwardly from the top iiange is a substantially vertical web or plate portion 16 which is integrally formed adjacent its lower end with laterally projecting vertically spaced jaws 17 between which the plate-like member 5 of the tension connector is interposed. If desired, the bracket may be reinforced by providing the-marginaledges of the web portion 16 thereof with inwardly extending flanges, the upper `portions 18 of which converge downwardly to adjacent the upper one of the jaws 17 while the lower portions 19 of which are substantially'parallel and may extend for a short distance, as indicated at 20, beneath the lower one of the jaws 17. Th'eiupper jaw may be rigidied by flanges 21 which converge downwardly and progressively `increase in depth from adjacent the top flange 12 of the bracket and constitute continuations of 'the reinforcing flanges 18.

The member y5 is connected to the jaws `l7 of the bracket by a substantially vertical Vpivot pin `l22 which extends through registering apertures in the jaws anda suitably formed aperture 23 in 'the member. The jaws are provided with vprojecting shelf-like portions 24, the innersurfaces Vv'o'f which are inclined slightly to engage relatively large'areas ofthe member and thereby afford *extended'bearing areas for supporting thelatter. vInstead vof jforming the member y5 'with only yone Aaperture 23 for receiving the vertical V*pivot pin 22 it is preferably formed with a plurality of such apertures, any one vof which is adapted to receive the pin so that the member may be pivotally connected to the bracket in diierent positions `of adjustment, The Ydistance between the centers of 'these apertures is greater than the distance betweenfthe apertures 10 ini-the member 6 so that lavery fine degree of adjustment may beobtained in taking up whatever slack may occur in the 'brake rigging. n

A'By-flexibly connectingthe members 5 and 6 by 4achain fit will be appreciated that the dead lever lisffree -to move in substantially all directions with -respect to the underframe of the car to compen- 'Msatefor-relative movement between the car truck and'ca'r body. Moreoveryby forming the members l5 and 6 with apertures which are spaced a greater distance'apart in oneof them vthan in the other a `very fine degree of vadjustment may be obtained to take up slack in the brake rigging.

I claim:

-1. In a railway car brake rigging, the combination -with the underframe of acar, of a dead lever, a bracket rigid with the'runderframe and lintegrally provided with'vertically spaced jaws, a plate-like member having a portion interposed between and supported by ysaid jaws, kpivot `means connecting said plate member to the jaws and adapted Vto permit said member to swing in asubstantially horizontal plane, and means involving a chain for flexibly connecting the upper 'end of the dead lever to said plate member, the latter being provided with aplurality of pin receiving apertures whereby it may be connected 'to the jaws in a plurality of different positions to take up slack in the'brakerigging.

2. In a railway car brake rigging'the combination with the underframe of a car, of a dead lever, a bracket rigidly secured to the underframe'and integrally provided with vertically spaced jaws, a plate-like member interposed between and supported by said jaws, a substantially vertical pin pivotally connecting the plate member to the jaws for permitting said vmember to vswing fin 'a "substantially horizontal plane, andiiexible means vinvo'lving a chain for connecting the upper endA of the ydead'lever to Vsaid member, the latter vbeing provided with a plurality of pin receiving apertures whereby it may be connected to the jaws in `different positionsof adjustment to take up slack inthe brake rigging.

V3. In a railway car brake rigging, the combination with the underframe of a car, of a dead lever, a bracket rigid with the underframe, members respectively `mounted on the bracket and dead lever', pins for respectively connecting said members to the bracket and dead lever, each of said members being provided with a plurality of pin receiving apertures whereby it may be connected to its associated part in different positions of adjustment, the distance between the centers of the apertures in one of said members being greater than the distance between the centers of Athe'apertures in the'other of said members, and

means involving a chain for flexibly connecting vsaid members.

'4. Ina railway car brake rigging, the 'combination with the underframe 'of a car, of a dead lever, a bracket rigid 'with the underframe, a vmember movably mounted on the bracket, apin for pivotally connecting said 'member to the bracket, a member mounted on the upper end of the dead lever, a pin 'for connectingsaid lastnamed member to the dead lever, said members being respectively provided 'with a plurality of pin receiving apertures whereby they may be connected 'to the bracket and lever in different positions f adjustmentjthe distance'between the centers 'of the apertures 'in one of said members .being greater than the distance between the centers of the apertures in the other of said members, and meansfinvlving Aa chain lfor flexibly connecting said members. A

'5. In a railway carAbrake-rigging, the combination with -the underframe of a car, Ya bracket rigid -with the underframe and integrally provided with spaced jaws, a member 'interposed between Vsaid jaws, apin forconnecting -said member to the jaws, a member movably mounted -on the upper end of the dead lever, a pin forvpivotall-y connecting said last-named member to the dead lever, said members being respectively provided with a Aplurality of Ypin receiving apertures Vwhereby they `may be connected to the bracket and dead vlever in diierent positions of -adjustment, the distance 4between the Acenters of Athe apertures in one of saidvmembers being-greater than ythe distance between the `centers of the apertures in the other of said members, land -means involving a chain-forexibly connecting said members.

6. In a railway car brake rigging, the combination with the underframe of a car, of .a dead lever, a bracket `rigid. with the underframe and integrally provided with spaced jaws, a member interposed between said jaws, a substantially U-shaped member having arms overlapping opposite faces of said .dead lever, and pins `for respectively .-pivotall-y connecting said members to the bracket and lever, saidmembers respectively'having a plurality o1" pin receiving apertures whereby they may be connected to Vthe i use 

